Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

Poor results of secondary school in rural villages in Burkina Faso.
In rural areas of Burkina Faso, success ratio of children going to secondary school is very low and the education received is not adapted to the needs. Unsuccesful children are coming back to the parents without any qualification. Parents are then not motivated to send their younger children to primary schools.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

To address the problem, we have opened a private agricultural school (in a rural area) called the LAP (Lycée Agricole Privé)for poor children of rural villages. This allows us:
- to control the quality of the education
- to adapt program to the needs
- to included in the curriculum a lot of pratical lessons as well as traditional arts (music, danse, theater) in addition to basic subjects
- use of participative method in the teaching instead of a rote learning method
- strong participation of the parents in the construction of the school

Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

By adapting the curiculum (agricultural) to what the parents want and by their participation in the construction they have empathy towards the school.
By having a participative teaching methods with also ludic activities, children are happy to be in school.
By having happy students ready to learn, teachers are also more motivated to perform well.

Sustainability

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

Competition is the rural public secondary schools. This is actually not really competition since our model is very different than the one of those public school.

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Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]

Strong involvement of local people in all steps of the projects.
Creating empathy of all stakeholders towards the school.

Social Impact

What has been the impact of your solution to date?

The school has been opened in October 2011.
A first result is that all parents have paid the school fees of their children on time showing their strong motivation.
All children are still in school and according to their parents they are the firts one up in the morning. Parents do not have to push them towards the school. Academic results so far are very positive.
Due to the dedication of the children attending the LAP, other children of the family are also more studious.
Fathers often want to know what the children has learned as far as subjects linked to farming.
Teachers are very motivated by the attitude of the children and parents.

What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?

In 3 years there will be more students at the LAP. This will incrased the impact mentionned above.
Father will be motivated to send their children to primary schools.
Children will be motivated to do their best to be selected for the LAP.
naturally it will also improve the quality of teaching of local rural secondary schools.

What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?

- selecting and keeping the best teachers when the LAP is in a remote area.
- further development or insertion of the children after the 4 years of the LAP
- lack of ressources from the parents
- Lack of sponsors to support the program

Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact

To have adequate infrastructure, human ressources ans sponsors

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone

Task 1

Start of a boarding school in October 2012

Task 2

Capacity building of our existing staff

Task 3

Fundraising for sponsors

Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone

To complete the infrastructure, to create a network with other agricultural schools and to get sponsors from the USA

Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone

Task 1

Complete infrastructure to be able to have 4 class rooms

Task 2

Finalise partnership with the school of Florac

Task 3

Get sponsors via a network in the USA

Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]

The school opened on October 3rd 2011 and there was a meeting of parents 2 weeks later. This was our "Aha" moment. The 70 children all smiling in uniform in the class room and the smile also on the parents faces make us beleive that this school would change the local mentality towards education(may not the world).

Sustainability

Tell us about your partnerships

One association from Monaco is investing in the infrastructure and equipment funding.
Sponsors are mainly from the Netherlands and France. In France the Association A Petits Pas is helping us get the right number of sponsors. Via our website each sponsor can follow up on its "adopted kid": profile and grades as well as general news from the LAP. This creates empathy between the sponsors and the LAP children.

What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]

In The Netherlands, we have one part time worker, 5 board members and about 30 volunteers to collect funds.
In France besides the association A Petits Pas for funds, we have also the collaboration of the agricutural school of Florac (France) which will help us with the participative approach.
In Burkina Faso, we have one director of ASAP Burkina who is controlling the LAP and the personnel of the school: one director, one permanent teachers and 4 part time teachers.
We have also contact with the ministry of secondary education of Burkina Faso.

Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list

In the investment side, we are looking at support for the communication via internet of the LAP, since it is the middle of nowhere. Also eventual networking to look for sponsors of children.
Exchange with similar type of schools in developping countries is also of strong interest.